Skip to main content
Log in

The intellectual adolescence of organizational justice: You've come a long way, maybe

  • Comment
  • Published:
Social Justice Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To highlight the advances and limitations in the study of organizational justice as reflected by the articles in this issue, the field is characterized as being in its intellectual adolescence. Following this analogy, some signs of scientific maturity are noted. Among these are (a) increased attention to the connections between organizational justice and various organizational processes, (b) expanded efforts toward conceptual refinement, and (c) greater reliance on research conducted in natural settings. At the same time, the adolescent state of the field is also marked by its intellectual awkwardness and immaturity. Indications of this include (a) the absence of guiding theory, (b) an underdeveloped research agenda, and (c) an overreliance on the use of ad hoc measurements. Based on these limitations, suggestions are made for ways of nurturing the field's development. The article concludes with an optimistic vision of tomorrow's field of organizational justice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams, J. S. (1965). Inequity in social exchange. In Berkowitz, L. (ed.),Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 2, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, S., and Ruderman, M. (1987). The role of procedural and distributive justice in organizational behavior.Soc. Just. Res. 1: 177–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bies, R. (1987). The predicament of injustice: The management of moral outrage. In Cummings, L. L., and Staw, B. M. (eds.),Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 9, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 289–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bies, R. J., and Shapiro, D. L. (1987). Interactional fairness judgments: The influence of causal accounts.Soc. Just. Res. 1: 199–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brockner, J., and Greenberg, J. (1990). The impact of layoffs on survivors: An organizational justice perspective. In Carroll, J. (ed.),Advances in Applied Social Psychology: Business Settings, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, New York, pp. 45–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, D. (1971). Risk taking by individuals and groups: An assessment of research employing choice dilemmas.J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 20: 361–370.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earley, P. C., and Lituchy, T. R. (1991). Delineating goal and efficacy effects: A test of three models.J. Appl. Psychol. 76: 81–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Folger, R. (1986). Rethinking equity theory: A referent cognitions model. In Bierhof, H. W., Cohen, R. L., and Greenberg, J. (eds.),Justice in Social Relations, Plenum, New York, pp. 145–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Folger, R. (1987). Formulating the preconditions of resentment: A referent cognitions model. In Masters, J. C., and Smith, W. C. (eds.),Social Comparison, Justice, and Relative Deprivation: Theoretical, Empirical, and Policy Perspectives, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ, pp. 183–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Folger, R., and Konovsky, M. (1989). Effects of procedural and distributive justice on reactions to pay raise decisions.Acad. Manage. J. 32: 115–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1982). Approaching equity and avoiding inequity in groups and organizations. In Greenberg, J., and Cohen, R. L. (eds.),Equity and Justice in Social Behavior, Academic Press, New York, pp. 389–435.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1986). Determinants of perceived fairness of performance evaluations.J. Appl. Psychol. 71: 340–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1987a). A taxonomy of organizational justice theories.Acad. Manage. Rev. 12: 9–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1987b). Reactions to procedural injustice in payment allocations: Do the ends justify the means?J. Appl. Psychol. 72: 55–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1988a). Cultivating an image of justice: Looking fair on the job.Acad. Manage. Exec. 2: 155–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1988b). Equity and workplace status: A field experiment.J. Appl. Psychol. 73: 606–613.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1989). Cognitive re-evaluation of outcomes in response to underpayment inequity.Acad. Manage. J. 32: 174–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1990a). Organizational justice: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow.J. Manage. 16: 399–432.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1990b). Looking fair vs. being fair: Managing impressions of organizational justice. In Staw, B. M., and Cummings, L. L. (eds.),Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 12, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 111–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1990c). Employee theft as a reaction to underpayment inequity: The hidden cost of pay cuts.J. Appl. Psychol. 75: 561–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (1991). Using explanations to manage impressions of performance appraisal fairness.Employ. Respons. Rights J. 4: 51–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J. (in press). The social side of fairness: Interpersonal and informational classes of organizational justice. In Cropanzano, R. (ed.),Justice in the Workplace: Approaching Fairness in Human Resource Management, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ.

  • Greenberg, J. (1992b, August). Concept development in organizational behavior: The case of procedural justice. Paper presented at the Meeting of the Academy of Management, Las Vegas, NV.

  • Greenberg, J. (1993). Stealing in the name of justice: Informational and interpersonal moderators of theft reactions to underpayment inequity.Organ. Behav. Hum. Decision Proces. 54: 81–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J., and Folger, R. (1983). Procedural justice, participation, and the fair process effect in groups and organizations. In Paulus, P. B. (ed.),Basic Group Processes, Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 235–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J., and McCarty, C. (1990). Comparable worth: A matter of justice. In Ferris, G. R., and Rowland, K. M. (eds.),Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, Vol. 8, JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, pp. 265–301.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J., and Ornstein, S. (1983). High status job title as compensation for underpayment: A test of equity theory.J. Appl. Psychol. 68: 285–297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J., and Tyler, T. R. (1987). Why procedural justice in organizations?Soc. Just. Res. 1: 143–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J., Eskew, D. E., and Miles, J. (1991, August). Adherence to participatory norms as a moderator of the fair process effect: When voice does not enhance procedural justice. Paper presented at the meeting of the Academy of Management, Miami Beach, FL.

  • Leventhal, G. S. (1980). What should be done with equity theory? New approaches to the study of fairness in social relationships. In Gergen, K., Greenberg, M., and Willis, R. (eds.),Social Exchange, Plenum, New York, pp. 27–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Locke, E. A., and Latham, G. P. (1990).A Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance, Prentice-Hall, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Locke, E. A., Shaw, K. N., Saari, L. M., and Latham, G. P. (1981). Goal setting and task performance: 1969–1980.Psychol. Bull. 90: 125–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mikula, G., Petrick, B., and Tanzer, N. (1990). What people regard as unjust: Types and structures of everyday experiences of injustice.Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 20: 133–149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pruitt, D. G. (1971). Choice shifts in group discussion: An introductory review.J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 20: 339–360.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roznowski, M., and Hulin, C. (1992). The scientific merit of valid measures of general constructs with special reference to job satisfaction and job withdrawal. In Cranny, C. J., Smith, P. C., and Stone, E. F. (eds.),Job Satisfaction, Lexington Books, New York, pp. 123–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, J. Z., and Brown, B. R. (1975).The Social Psychology of Bargaining and Negotiation, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheppard, B. H., and Lewicki, R. J. (1987). Toward general principles of managerial fairness.Soc. Just. Res. 1: 161–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, T. R., and Caine, A. (1981). The role of distributional and procedural fairness in the endorsement of formal leaders.J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 441: 642–655.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, R., and Lind, E. A. (1992). A relational model of authority in groups. In Zanna, M. (ed.),Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 25, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, pp. 115–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thibaut, J., and Walker, L. (1975).Procedural Justice: A Psychological Analysis, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walster, E., Walster, G. W., and Berscheid, E.Equity: Theory and Research, Allyn & Bacon, Boston.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Greenberg, J. The intellectual adolescence of organizational justice: You've come a long way, maybe. Soc Just Res 6, 135–148 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01048736

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01048736

Key words

Navigation